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Phoenix PhD in Health Administration Schools

Professionals who pursue a doctorate in healthcare administration on campus learn how to identify, analyze, and respond to pressing issues in the healthcare industry. By studying areas of health policy and regulation and subjects such as finance, economics, informatics, and research methods, professionals develop their capacities to cause meaningful change in dynamic healthcare systems.

Depending on the program, professionals might also develop their management and leadership skills or the skillset necessary to work as a professor, researcher, or consultant. They may apply what they learn in governmental, private, or non-profit settings in small, medium, or large institutions.

In the end, professionals with a doctorate degree in healthcare administration learn to act as pioneers, innovators, and problem-solvers in the field of healthcare.

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Options for Pursuing a Doctorate in Healthcare Administration on Campus

When it comes to pursuing a doctorate degree in healthcare administration on campus, students have several options: they can pursue a Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.), a Doctor of Philosophy in Healthcare Administration (Ph.D.), or a Doctor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration (D.B.A.). Within Ph.D. programs, you might find the phrase “healthcare administration” replaced with a phrase such as “public health,” “healthcare management,” “health services policy,” “health care systems,” “community health,” “social health policy,” “health services organization,” or numerous others and still find yourself within the same field of study. Ph.D.s in areas like these may fall under the healthcare administration umbrella. Within D.H.A. and D.B.A. programs, you might find options to specialize in areas like these.

D.H.A. vs Ph.D. vs D.B.A. - What’s the Difference?

The differences among Doctor of Healthcare Administration, Doctor of Philosophy, and Doctor of Business Administration degrees are quite simple:

D.H.A.s focus primarily on the broad discipline of healthcare administration.

Ph.D.s may focus primarily on healthcare administration or a subfield of the discipline such as healthcare management or public health.

D.B.A.s focus first on the broad field of business and secondly on business as it applies to the field of healthcare.

There are always exceptions to these rules. Ultimately, you’ll want to read a program’s promised outcomes and list of courses carefully to fully understand what you’ll study.

Did You Know?

In addition to D.H.A. degrees, there are also Dr.P.H. degrees, or Doctorate of Public Health degrees. Therefore, you might opt to earn a Ph.D. in public health or a Dr.P.H.

Course of Study for a Doctorate Degree in Healthcare Administration

The course of study for your doctorate in healthcare administration depends on three things: the type of program, the intention of the program, and your elective study and research. This makes nailing down what you’ll study specifically quite difficult. However, we can give you a sense.

In a Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.) or Ph.D. in Healthcare Administration program, you’ll likely study core subjects such as:

Contemporary issues in healthcare such as diversity, ageism, sexism, racism, poverty, and unionization

Law and ethics in healthcare

Research methods (qualitative and quantitative) and statistics

Through a concentration or elective courses, you might study the subjects above in greater depth or engage with new-to-you subjects based on your interests.

If you earn a doctorate degree other than a Doctor of Healthcare Administration or Ph.D. in healthcare administration such as a Ph.D. in health policy, a Ph.D. in public health, a Ph.D. in health services administration, or a Ph.D in healthcare management, you’ll likely still study core subjects such as leadership, health policy, health informatics, and healthcare economics, but also take additional courses in political science, public health, health services systems, and leadership and management.

In a Doctor of Business Administration program with an emphasis in healthcare administration, you’ll likely study core subjects such as:

Management and leadership

Finance, budgeting, and economics

Marketing and promotions

Communications

Organizational behavior

Business informatics and analytics

Then, as part of your concentration or emphasis, you’ll study subjects specific to healthcare administration such as health policy, healthcare informatics, healthcare systems, and more. (Note that you might also be able to focus your studies within your emphasis in areas such as human resources for healthcare systems, healthcare informatics and analysis, or healthcare management.)

Did You Know?:

Many schools that offer a D.B.A. focus on doing so online, particularly to appeal to business professionals. While some on-campus options might be available, keep your mind open to online options with short residencies required once or twice per year.

EducationDynamics maintains business relationships with the schools it features.

D.H.A., Ph.D., and D.B.A. Degree Requirements

Whether you’re pursuing a doctorate in healthcare administration or a closely related subfield, the requirements for completing your program will likely be similar if not the same: you’ll need to complete core coursework, elective coursework, and if you have a focus, coursework in that area. You’ll also need to complete a set of courses in research methodologies.

Some doctorate or Ph.D. programs in healthcare administration will focus on practical application in public, private, or non-profit settings. In programs like those, you might need to complete an internship or demonstrate that your current job fulfills specific requirements for experience in the field.

Other doctorate or Ph.D. programs in healthcare administration will focus on research and academic. In programs like those, you might need to participate in a teaching or research assistantship.

For all doctorate-level degrees in healthcare administration, you’ll likely need to do a dissertation—including conducting research, writing a paper, and defending your research—and, though in fewer cases, take a comprehensive or qualifying exam and achieve satisfactory scores.

Career Options for Professionals with a Doctorate Degree in Healthcare Administration

Professionals with a doctorate degree in healthcare administration or a closely related subject could work in numerous capacities, such as:

Hospital administrator

Nursing home manager

Public health manager

Clinical manager

Consultant

Professor

Researcher

These are just some of many options.

Note that with the exception of professor and researcher, the occupations mentioned above may not require that you hold a doctorate degree. However, what you can do and offer within these roles changes significantly having earned an advanced degree.

Advanced degrees, especially at the doctorate level, help students develop particularly sharp analytical skills, critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, managerial skills, research skills, and other skills that help agencies act as innovators, pioneers, problem-solvers, and competitors.

Also note that professionals typically need to have a doctorate degree to work as professors and researchers.

Potential Doctorate in Healthcare Administration Salary for Professionals in the Field

Just below you’ll find a list of salaries documented by the U.S. Department of Labor for occupations within or close to the field of healthcare administration:

College or University Professor: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), professionals in this field earned a median annual wage of $76,000 in 2017. The BLS predicts that jobs in this area will grow by 15 percent (much faster than average) between 2016 and 2026.

Management Analyst: according to the BLS, professionals in this field earned a median annual wage of $82,450 in 2017. The BLS predicts that jobs in this area will grow by 14 percent (faster than average) between 2016 and 2026.

Administrative Services Manager: according to the BLS, professionals in this occupation earned a median annual wage of $94,020 in 2017. The BLS predicts that jobs in this area will grow by ten percent (about as fast as average) between 2016 and 2026.

Medical and Health Services Manager: the BLS shows that professionals in this occupation earned a median annual wage of $98,350 in 2017. The BLS predicts that jobs in this area will grow by 20 percent (much faster than average) between 2016 and 2026.

Social and Community Services Manager: the BLS shows that professionals in this occupation earned a median annual wage of $64,100 in 2017. The BLS predicts that jobs in this area will grow by 18 percent (much faster than average) between 2016 and 2026.

Keep in mind: many agencies—public, private, and nonprofit—vary the salaries they offer based on employees’ level of education. Therefore, you may earn more once you’ve earned a doctorate degree.

Continue your search now for a doctorate in healthcare administration. Whether you are looking for D.H.A. programs, health administration Ph.D. programs, a doctorate degree in healthcare management, or something else, we likely have options for you.

Look into options for on-campus Doctorate in Health Administration programs below to prepare yourself for a variety of potential career paths in a fast growing field!

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